Sir Alex Ferguson 'wanted Manchester United to sign £100m Tottenham star', claims Mauricio Pochettino
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager and current Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has opened up on Sir Alex Ferguson's attempts to sign Dele Alli for Manchester United.
Dele enjoyed a meteoric rise having impressed at MK Dons in the English Football League. In 2015, the Englishman moved to Spurs and soon integrated himself into the first team.
At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the attacking midfielder played a starring role in the Three Lions' run to the semi-finals. However, his form would hit the rocks and he would eventually be allowed to leave on a free to Everton in January last year.
His time at Goodison Park has not been the turnaround he was hoping for and the 27-year-old spent last season on loan at Besiktas where he continued to struggle. During the summer, Dele spoke to Gary Neville about the abuse he suffered while growing up and the midfielder has been widely commended for speaking out.
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The impact of Dele's story was felt hard by Pochettino who had coached him in North London. In an interview with The Athletic, the Argentinian recalled his relationship with the Everton man and a conversation he had with Ferguson when Dele was at the peak of his powers.
"When he arrived (at Spurs) from Milton Keynes, he was a kid," Pochettino explained. "We built a relationship and then step by step you could see the evolution of how he got to be his best, to be one of the best players in the Premier League.
"I always remember Sir Alex Ferguson saying to me: 'I will sign him for £100m', and that was when £100m was £100m, like £200m or £300m now. The interview was tough because it's not too many years ago that he was at the top."
United's Adidas home shirt is made up of the same
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